Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-07-19

they generally get away with. This is the
real reason for Gentle opposition, though, of
course, they detest polygamy and use it as
lever at Washington.
Although the Mormons have insisted that
they could not in good conscience sbandon
polygainy Uhey call it plurality" or tee
lestial marriage1, and scores of them have
gone to the penitentiary rather than promise
to obey the law, they now offer to 'give up
their religion" as their phrase is, for the sake
OF statehood! 1t does not require strong
| congressional intellect to see that they
are seeking to defraud, and that, once
admitted, they would promptly repeal
the monoganic clause of their state con-
stitution, apply their gyratory fingers to
their priestly noses and sheer at the American
eagle. Here is "pointer' Oh this subject
Some weeks since the Gentiles inaus u,ated a
move to get up Fourth of July celebration.
All classes We're invited TO participate but the
Mormons rejected the invitation Indignantly.
The Mormon press raised a great STIR stating
that the saints had nothing to Celebrate, but
were rather in position for mourning. The
sentiment OH that side seemed to lie in favor
or hanging the flags at half mast and dlaping
ene puo4lc buildings, as was done two years
ago on .--j L..--u.IS L.I..,l..J. -4e loom tor
statehood came along, however, and caused
this peculiar people to make a change Of base.
They then asked to be permitted to join in
the celebration. a.
There is one good result which must come
from the promise of the church authorities to
give up polygamy. Those who are now
serving terms of imprisonment for polygamy
are doing so because the church forbids their
evading punishment by promising to obey
the law III the future; but now that the
church Itself Is about to make promise Of
this kind, there will be nothing in the way of
liberty for these poor men, and there is reason
to believe that many of them will renounce
their old practices aud live within the law as
good loyal citizens Could the system of
promising to obey the law once be made
popular, it would do much toward the solu-
ton Of the question.
Hundreds Of the plural wived saints are
tired of the practice Of living with half
dozen women, and would willingly give all
but one OF them up, were it not for the dread
of the awful power of the church.
49,
1t is this social and business ostracism
which influences most Of the martyrs, though
few do undoubtedly go to Jail "for con-
science sake" The Federal courts in Utah
have decided that the spirit Of the Edmunds
law of 1882 is for reform, not for vengeance:
SO when convicted Mormon promises to
obey the law in future, sentence is suspended
But the immense power of the church COM
pelS most of the convicted to take the iail
rather than promise. Yet, strange to saw,
none of the leaders Of the church seem to
have any undue hankering to become
martyrs, for, while the president of the
church and his twelve apostles have always
been loud in advising the people to stand bv
nr1nf.Inla fol ho a
have remained themselves in a safe hiding
place, and SO far but one of their number has
been caught. This one, who is the most dis
tingushed of the Mormon prisoners, is APOSTLE
Lorenzo Snow, man sincere in the Mormon
belief and possessing many good traits. 1t
was While Snow was serving his term that
Governor West offered pardon to all the
Mormon convicts If they would only promise
future obedience to the law. The offer was
indignantly refused by Snow, and his fellow
prisoners stood by him. not one of them &C.
cepting the proffered liberty. Shows term
expired some months ago. and he is now iv-
ing, as far as known, III accordance with the
law.
The most prominent of those who promised
obedience is Bishop John Sharp director
OF the Union Pacific railroad, and one of the
wealthiest men'in Utah. Bishop Sharp was
old and failing In health when he was in
dicted. Knowing that the term of imprison-
ment would be very detrimental to him he
promised to live only with his legal wife and
thus eyaded the punishment for his past do
ings. The Mormons were very much in
cenSed with him for it, and his bishopric was
immediately taken away, while he was sue
ceeded by young ard Insignificant polyg
amst who was recently sentenced to a term
of five years in the penitentiary. OF course
Sharl's wealth protected him to a certain ex-
tent, but nevertheless he was treated in
way which none of his Mormon brothers
envy, and, therefore, his example is rarely
followed. The courts are so lively that
there are some fifty Moimons in the peniten-
tiary all the time, new ones going in as the |
older ones terms expire. Very few polyg- |
amous marriages are ever heard Of, and it is |
plain that the young Mormons are growing |
In dislike to the system. When these come |
TO the front and rule the territory, the Gen.
tiles will gladly join them in move for |
statehood A. O.E |